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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

"It's true! Slackware 13.37 has been released. Nearly a year in the making, you will appreciate the performance and stability that can only come with careful and rigorous testing. Slackware 13.37 uses the 2.6.37.6 Linux kernel and also ships with 2.6.38.4 kernels for those who want to run the latest. The long-awaited Firefox 4.0 web browser is included, the X Window System has been upgraded (and includes the open source nouveau driver for NVIDIA cards). The venerable Slackware installer has been improved as well, with support for installing to btrfs, a one-package-per-line display mode option, and an easy to set-up PXE install server that runs right off the DVD!"

I have just installed the latest version on my desktop machine (which isn't a state-of-the-art machine by any means.) Had to install wicd from the extra directory to get my wireless network going but everything else is working fine. It looks good, it works, it don't patronise you like other distros, I love it.

Here's a way to have a PC fully powered. Even an old one. No bad surprise. No bulls**t. Good reactivity of updates. No 140 cd's set you'll never use.
I like the poor graphisms during installation because they introduce no bug.
The configuration tools (net, packages...) are quick.
On the Slackware site, you have The Book, from which you can learn Linux really fast.
The packages system is strong. No dependencies headaches.
A LOT of packages at http://slackbuilds.org/

Slack leads you from newbie to expert :
I've learned more slackin' 6 monthes than 10 years of others OS (including other Linuxes).
Well, please stop reading and just go for it.

P.S.: Big thanx to Patrick Volkerding and all other people who makes Slackware.

Back on the years 00's, I was introduced to Linux by one of those old magazines, on which there was a Mandrake install cd. I installed it, and didn't thought much of it. A while later, while talking with a friend, he introduced me to Slackware, and the Slackware KISS philosophy, and how things "just worked". I would reinstall the system multiple times just for the sakes of it, configure the ALSA drivers, make the damn WinModem work, and have mplayer play the first Matrix directly from the shell.
It was a fun time, and it was an awesome introduction to that phenomenal distro that Slackware is. It is incredible to see how much things evolved, how many apps we have out of the box, and how much stable Slackware still is. Whenever I needed something done, there was for sure a way to do it and it would STAY THAT WAY forever.
I still use only Slackware today, and it is the only Distro I would recommend to anyone. All those other distros with dependency manager and wanna-be Windows alternatives with cute dialogs and "press this button that I'll configure and lock down everything for you", they might work for an end-user that doesn't care much about Linux and that just wants an alternative to Windows. But lets be honest, they can't even get close to the "user-friendlieness" that Windows has, so they don't really fulfill they purpose. Slackware however, has the intent of being stable at the same time as it is COMPLETE and highly configurable. And it accomplishes this goal magnificently, better then any other OS.

At $47.90 (including shipping) for a two-sided DVD (64-bit version on one side, 32-bit version on the other), Slackware 13.37 is a steal. Of course either (or both) versions are available free to a good home from any number of sources; e.g., LinuxQuestion.orghttp://iso.linuxquestions.org/slackware/, Oregon State University Open Source Labhttp://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/slackware/, but I prefer to support Slackware development in what is really a small way by paying for the jewel case and its content.

Installation is a breeze -- insert the media, reboot, wait a little while for the CD-ROM/DVD to load, log in as root and you're ready to get on with it.

If it's a new machine, the first thing you would want to do is partition your disk drive (at least a root and swap partition) using cfdisk /dev/sda (for a SATA drive) or, if it's an already-in-use system, you don't need to partition anything unless you want to change it for some reason.

Next you execute setup and you're presented with a few questions to answer (assign drive partitions, automatic or manual installation [so you can pick in choose if you don't want "everything" installed]); the basics. I always do a full, automatic install -- in these days of 500 G to terabyte disk drives, there really isn't much reason to pick and choose unless you're interested in stripping things down to the bare essentials.

One common complaint about the installer is that it's not gooey; frankly, that's what I really like about it. It's text, it's simple (and thus elegant) and you don't have to wait forever for the thing to figure out what you've got in the way of hardware so you can click-'n'-drool your way through what is pretty basic stuff.

On the four machines I maintain installation takes no more than 15 minutes start-to-finish. That includes setting the root password and network configuration (typing addresses and the like). It usually takes me another 10-15 minutes to "fine-tune" the things I want a certain way -- setting up printers and plotter with HPLIP and CUPS, setting up NTPD, getting web pages and HTTPD running and the like. I also keep a few add-on packages from SlackBuilds.orghttp://slackbuilds.org/ and I'll install the packages from those (or, if GLIBC has changed, rebuild the packages and install them).

So, it's up, it's running, now what? How is Slackware to actually use?

Frankly, it's a dream machine -- it stays out of my way and it comes with everything already installed. Well, it doesn't come with OpenOffice.org/LibreOffice.org, but those are freely available from SlackBuilds.org and it's a quick (well, not that quick; they're roughly 18 M) download-and-install using the built-in Slackware package management tools.

Also, I've never been able to wrap my head around BASH. I've been a Korn Shell user for some decades and I'd rather fight than switch -- Korn Shell is included with Slackware, no fiddling around downloading it from somewhere or other then struggling with getting it installed and changing the default shell (I simply edit /etc/passwd -- carefully!).

I am a heavy user of a console; I've been at this on and off for... oh, dang, about 50 years (starting in 1961 with punch cards) and I'm perfectly comfortable with typing the name of a utility, some options and hitting the carriage return. A lot of folks aren't comfortable with that and prefer the "click-'n'-drool" school of computer use; I ain't one of them. I'll use a GUI-based utility if it makes life easier (K3b is one that truly makes life easier burning a CD-ROM or DVD!), but, generally, I'll type it if I can before going off and finding a different way.

Two of the best things about Slackware are:

It is the most un-fooled-around-with distribution there is; there is no "branding" in KDE, Firefox, Thunderbird and other utilities. What you get is what the developer(s) intended.

It is the most like System V. If, like me, you bounce back and forth between Slackware and, say, Solaris, well, you appreciate that. A lot.

My machine are, typically, up and running for months without a reboot.

It allowed me to use Linux, especially the way he is exposed to download. I used dial-up to download ".isos",use dial-up task is arduous. But by the way that exposes your files is Slackware much easier. Now no longer use dial-up I use adsl, but I got used to Slackware.

This is good. I was ending up in a heap with an rpm based distro every 2 years, and worked with someone who was rinning cad and pcb software for 8 years on the same box with slackware. What slackware does, it does well. ATI video works well in 13.37 - no small juggling feat that. Ditto, I am sure nvidia.

Once you are not afraid of hacking a config file, and know what you want, you can do it with slackware - painlessly. Some distros package the sun java plugin, at least one packages an alternative (blackdown?), slackware packages non iirc because anybody can and should grab one. /Etc/acpi scripts ditto - I have seen 50 scripts (.csh & .sh varieties) from some distros, of which 48 are useless. you get a defsult.sh with slackware; if you want 50 scripts, it supplies an editor, and expects you to use that. Noobs can flounder here. But that editor is called directly. I have seen /usr/bin/vim as a symlink to /etc/alternatives/vi which is a symlink to /usr/bin/vim-iMproved :-//.

I have grown to like the slackpkg. From viewing it as a disadvantage, I now see it as a painless plus. It's so easy to make your own, which makes compilations less intrusive, because you can delete exactly what you installed. I never run a make install any more.

My pet hate is KDE - that monstrous piece of bloatware that makes windows vista at it's worst look fast. I have yet to see kde on a box it didn't slow to a crawl. I think I have seen a program load in under 5 seconds in kde, but that's the exception.

I like slackware, using it since long long time ago, version 3.2, My server still running with 12.2, there is no need to upgrade it after doing slackpkg upgrade. slackware still support it.&lt;br&gt;13.37 is my first 64bit version on my desktop, really nice to see it running smoothly.&lt;br&gt;

Been through a few distros over ten years. From Mandrake to Elive to Ubuntu, but Slackware seems the cleanest, started with 13.1.

Slackware is a great tool for learning Linux. The 64 bit version of 13.37 is great for running 64bit VM's. You can have your 32bit apps running with Multilib support, so you get the best of both worlds!

You can choose to compile your own software, however Slackbuilds.org does an excellent job of providing install scripts for a wide range of packages.

No dependency support for software? Most Slackbuild scripts list the dependencies so you can install them. Create a queue in order of dependencies and you are on your way. It's not that hard!

I don't use KDE as a desktop, so couldn't comment on the quality of it with Slackware, Xfce suits me fine at the moment.

I gave a 9 because I think never will exist a software that deserves a 10 (nothing is perfect).

What I love about this distribution is the stability, I know there are another distributions highly stable but this one, damn! I love to come at home and spend my time using the computer and not fixing it.

If you know what you are doing it's pretty easy to configure and maintain, and if you don't know you have many documentation to do the things in the right way.

The only bad thing is that you may need to compile some applications, small ones aren't a problem but big ones can be, anyway always you can find builds from another people so really it isn't a big problem either, just can be a little annoying for newcomers or people that doesn't like to compile their own software.

I use it as a desktop system, and It has everything i need right out of the box (except flash player), plus a zillion things I might need at some point in time. All I had to do was create a user, set up a basic firewall and tcp wrappers, install flash player and voila! Java is already there so I can access my bank right away. Python is there so I can waste some time when there's nothing on TV. I installed KDE, but I use XFCE, and KDE programs are available in the XFCE menu. The slacker life is good.

I'd tried 13.1-64 bit and found it problematic to say the least - many crashes for no apparent reason.

After finding a few issues with Mint 10 (notably the very existence of PulseAudio! :-D ), I decided to give Slackware64 another shot (32-bit had never had problems, but it's noticeably slower on 64-bit machines). No problems installing, the nVidia driver was found (no need for Alsaconfig!), and it runs like a champ. KDE4 is still KDE4 (i.e. it's still a dog), but the KDE apps I do use work fine in XFCE.

Wireshark would be a very welcome addition, as would the XFCE system monitor.

Tons of good things to say...
Straightforward installation, fully equipped for developers, powerful, faithful to UNIX and to upstream developers (Vanilla).
LQ Slackware community is one of the best if not the best (happy and helpful people around).
Runs forever... and ever...
Good distro to learn, wonderful distro to work on...
Historically one of the first around.
A lot of tools available just on install (dev tools, admin tools, etc).
Choice of several window managers (KDE default).

slackpkg, sbopkg, src2pkg are wonderful tools for people who want to maintain an up to date system without a lot of efforts.

If I really want to find a downside: KDE Office tools are weak, and we might miss open/libre office instead, but that's easy to fix.

I've first used it in the mid-90s, add after a +10 years hiatus because of professional requirements for M$, dived into it again since 2009, with the pleasure of my teenage hacker years.

This is the ONLY distro that makes me feel happy and at home. This is the ONLY distro that gives me the thrill of using computers.

Even when I'm on M$Win to work, I got my putty/ssh/vnc on either my own server, my company server, or my local VM, just to have some fresh air... :)

Beware: once you'll try it (I mean REALLY try it), you won't be able to quit. Hypnosis, Rehab, nothing will be strong enough then...

It works great, had to update kernel ver to .38 from .37 to make graphics card work effectively. Will have to learn how to rely on command line. Chrome currently is buggy with this distro :(, but itll be fixed eventually.

If you can think of it, it's probably already a PRO to you or someone else.

Cons:

There are actually CONS to Slackware? WTF? LIES I SAY!!! LIES!!! THE CON IS A LIE!!!

In all seriousness, Slackware is a great distribution of the Linux based GNU operating system. The installation is very easy and straight forward, fairly much everything runs out of the box, and it's perfect for educational usage to learning the Linux as a generalized system.

Slackware maintains itself by going only with a small variety of packages often making it appear as a "minimalist" distribution, but in reality Slackware has hundreds of thousands of packages maintained by 3rd party developers in what are dubbed, SlackBuilds.

Because Slackware relies heavily on the user and administrator to solve package dependencies, it can be intimidating at first, but this higher learning curve does allow for easier usage, a more manageable system, and it helps you the user and administrator streamline your system by cutting out waste and excess bloatware.

A wise user once said, "Teach a man Red Hat and he will learn Red Hat and all that has been derived thereof it, equally with that with Debian, SuSE, and others, but teach a man Slackware... and he shall know GNU/Linux itself."

Slackware really is simplicity itself. While not designed for the absolute newbie, anyone who has been around for awhile will appreciate how Slackware works. I came back to it repeatedly before finally realizing how simple and straightforward it really was. Slackware gives you almost complete control over your environment without resorting to the somewhat over-the-top methods of Gentoo (no offense to those guys, I just don't have that kind of time).

This brings us to another point. People often consider Slackware difficult, but it was designed to allow people to "Slack". It does this by being quite leisurely in its pace. Once installed and set up, maintenance is nil. Run an update command maybe once a week with great confidence that the update won't break your system. I learned from bitter experience that other distros could not offer me that security.

It is true that the learning curve is a little steep at the beginning, but you have to learn new things with any distro. The rewards once Slackware is learned are worth many times the initial difficulties. Try it and feel the power